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“You in any pain?” he asks.
I shake my head a little. “It’s dull.”
His heart thumps, thumps, thumps against my ear. I can’t believe I had sex with him. In what position? Where did he fuck me? How many times? A billion questions attack me all at once, but I startle at a realization.
“What’s wrong?” He feels me jerk.
“You came inside me.”
“Yeah?” He’s confused.
“I’m not on birth control.” Off his expression, I see that Original Luna had that covered. “Or am I?”
“You are, but we should probably make sure your doctor knows you might’ve missed taking the pill while you’ve been here.” He glances back at the door, and when chatter sounds outside, worry spreads across his face.
I realize, “You’re not allowed to be here. Farrow told you to…to wait?” It’s becoming easier recalling the talks I’ve had in the hospital.
“Yeah, and there’s a No Fun Nurse out there who thinks I’m a piece of garbage that’s going to stink up your room. Joke’s on her because I smell great.”
I sniff his bare chest, a bit tentative knowing it’s a strange thing to do. Yet, I want to sniff Donnelly all over like a bloodhound.
He watches with a rising smile. “Smell away, space babe.”
My heart pitter-patters. He calls me space babe? “My nose is powerful,” I warn.
“Good. I’ll triple-down. I smell amazing.”
I smile. “Gutsy.”
“Been taking risks all my life. Think I can handle this one.” He raises his arm off my shoulders, opening himself up to me and letting me go free. I inhale around his collar, up towards his neck. It’s difficult to pry my gaze off his while I smell him. His eyes…they remind me of blue spinel gems. How many times have I drowned in those blue pools?
More questions infiltrate. How did we become friends? Are we technically dating even though he’s not my boyfriend? Are we just friends-with-benefits?
Why do you look like you want to kiss me?
I inhale deeply at the nape of his neck. “Mint,” I whisper against his skin. “And sweat.” I love his scent. His strong hand is suddenly on my other hip, and feeling the force of him pulses a need in me. Only, Donnelly is lifting me off his body. I had somewhat crawled up him and straddled his waist, and now he sets me delicately on the mattress.
“Shit,” he curses, tangled in some wires and tubes connected to my arms. He’s careful about unwinding them.
I notice the bulge in his sweatpants. Heat burns my cheeks. “Were you my first?”
He flinches. “Your first what?”
I’m more afraid of this answer, and I hesitate to ask again. “…did you take my virginity?”
It takes him a second before he says, “No.”
Then who did? My eyes grow. “Do you know who it was?”
“You really wanna know?” he questions, stifling a cringe. “You could just wait. These memories might come back tomorrow for all we know, and you’ll have the answers then.”
I nod, wanting to believe that.
After untangling the wires, I tell him, “I like your scent.”
Donnelly looks me over. “Doesn’t seem like you like it if it turns your smile upside-down.”
“I just wish it triggered a memory.” I glance nervously at the door, like an invisible hourglass has flipped. All the sand is nearly collected at the bottom. “If my family thinks I don’t remember the past three years, they’re going to be so concerned. I just don’t want that kind of worry or pressure. It’s already hard enough not remembering.”
He nods. “I get it.”
“You do?”
“Sure,” he breathes. “You and I are the same. We keep our issues to ourselves because letting other people see ‘em makes them bigger than they have to be. Gives power to them. Makes them feel more unbeatable than they are. It’s easier to just keep that stuff here.” He touches his hand to his heart.
I nod strongly, and a knock sounds before the door opens.
“Miss Hale…” The brunette nurse skids to a halt. “You. Get off her bed, right now.” Her scathing glare at Donnelly sends a chill down my spine. “Now!”
“I’m going,” Donnelly says. He’s being careful not to yank any cords attached to me.
I grasp at the wrinkled sheet where he sat. Too slow to catch him. “Wait,” I say, panic reigniting. “Let him stay. He can stay.”
“No, he can’t,” the nurse forces out coldly. “Visitors aren’t allowed right now. Especially not him. Get. Out.”
What? My perception of reality is fogged, but I hang on to one belief: I can trust Donnelly. He has my crystal.
I have his watch.
Donnelly is walking towards the door.
“No!” I shout abruptly, worry pelting me like rain on glass.
The nurse frowns. “Luna—”
I’m jumping off the bed, wires tangling and ripping painfully at my wrists. “Nonono, dontgodontgo.”
Donnelly reroutes. He’s suddenly at my side, grabbing on to my hand, stopping me from pulling out my IV. “It’s alright,” he whispers. “Luna, it’s alright. I can go—”
